. British campaigns in Flanders, 1690-1794; being extracts from "A history of the British army,". elf to induce Villars to demolishit himself. With this view he detached a strong forceJune 25. yj^^gj. General Rantzau to capture the fort, which was July 6. -^ done without difficulty. The Duke then gave ordersthat the captured works should be greatly strengthened,and, for their further protection, posted a large forceunder the Prussian General Hompesch on the glacisof Douay, some six miles distant from the fort. As fate ordained it, Hompesch, thinking himselfsecure under the guns of Douay, negle
. British campaigns in Flanders, 1690-1794; being extracts from "A history of the British army,". elf to induce Villars to demolishit himself. With this view he detached a strong forceJune 25. yj^^gj. General Rantzau to capture the fort, which was July 6. -^ done without difficulty. The Duke then gave ordersthat the captured works should be greatly strengthened,and, for their further protection, posted a large forceunder the Prussian General Hompesch on the glacisof Douay, some six miles distant from the fort. As fate ordained it, Hompesch, thinking himselfsecure under the guns of Douay, neglected his outpostsand even his sentries, and was surprised two days latertuivT~ ^y ^ sudden attack from Villars, which was only re-pulsed with considerable difficulty and|not a httleshame. Villars was in ecstasies over his success, andMarlborough displayed considerable annoyance. How-ever, the Duke reinforced Hompesch, as if to show thevalue which he attached to Arleux, and pushed forwardthe new works with the greatest vigour. Finally, whenall was completed, he threw a weak garrison into the. 126 BRITISH CAMPAIGNS IN FLANDERS vol.: 1711, fort and led the rest of the army away two marches westward, encamping opposite the lines between the Jul i^ Canche and the Scarpe. Villars likewise moved west- ^^ ward parallel to him, and took up a position betweenOppy and Montenancourt ; but, before he started, hedetached a force to attack Arleux. The commander ofthe fort sent a message to Marlborough that he couldnot possibly hold it, and the Duke at once despatchedCadogan with a strong force to relieve it. It wasnoticed, however, that Cadogan made no such haste asthe urgency of the occasion would have seemed torequire ; and indeed, before he had gone half-way,he returned with the intelligence that Arleux hadsurrendered. Villars was elated beyond measure ; and Marl-borough for the first time in his life seemed to be greatlydistressed and cast down. Throwing off his usualserenity, he proclaim
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